On page 7 of the 2012 Fishing Guide, a complete list of game fish is included in the definitions section: largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass, black and white crappie, rainbow and brown trout, sauger saugeye and walleye, striped bass, white bass, and hybrids, and blue and channel catfish.

All other species are defined as "nongame fish" and can be used as bait when caught with a cast net, seine, or minnow trap.

Some of the confusion comes from the legality of using a game fish as bait (like a small crappie) if that game fish was caught legally (rod & reel). But when using a cast net, only non game fish can be kept for bait and sunfish are one of those non game species.

According to the regs, yes Allen. The flathead catfish is left off the list of game fish so that they can be noodled.

By some wild stroke of luck you might get a flathead in a castnet, but it would be a rare instance. Is it worth cluttering up the already unclear (based on the fact that folks are seeking clarification) regulations to somehow outlaw a castnet-caught flathead when it needs to be classified as a nongame fish for noodling to be legal??? I don't see the point for as rarely as a flathead will find its way into a castnet.

The sale, bartering, or trade of fish, frogs, and turtles is illegal except with a commercial license (see page 8 of the 2012 Fishing Guide).

That's what I was thinking, anyway, that the odds of it happening are astronomical. I have caught some Carp, Buffalo, LMB's, various sunfish, Sandies, as well as fingerling Stripers, Crappie, Blue, and Channel cats in my net. They all go back. Those fingerling catfish are a menace, though. Lots of them, and the serrations on the pectoral fins make removal from the net a task.
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A flat is about the only thing I have never caught in my cast net. Maybe I should try that. lolGar do make a mess of a net. I had a 5 ft. spoonie in my net below Hudson's dam one day; it wasn't pretty since I was on the wall.The most heartbreaking was the 8 13 in. crappie in my net at Gibson one day. Oddly there were also 4-5 large sunfish, 2 small bass, and numerous shad all in a five foot net.

Try throwin one on top of a 300# Southern Stingray(that somehow manages to stay in it) in Pass Cavallo for a quick nantucket sleigh ride, sans the sled Good thing the rope finally parted --

Come to think of it, I've never netted a flathead either. I've probably thrown a net several thousands of hours too -- been casting one since 1978.
Those who would give up constitutional freedoms to elected officials in exchange for a false sense of security, deserve neither freedom or security.

That's what I was thinking, anyway, that the odds of it happening are astronomical. I have caught some Carp, Buffalo, LMB's, various sunfish, Sandies, as well as fingerling Stripers, Crappie, Blue, and Channel cats in my net. They all go back. Those fingerling catfish are a menace, though. Lots of them, and the serrations on the pectoral fins make removal from the net a task.

Allen quickest way to get a mess of catfish out of a net is to bend the spines backwards with pliers and snap them off, catfish swims free (minus three spikes)
Those who would give up constitutional freedoms to elected officials in exchange for a false sense of security, deserve neither freedom or security.

Cal, you ain't the only one that catch Gar in a cast net. I did that one, in about 6" of water. Managed to get my net over the front half of it, saw the tail flop as soon as the net hit the water.

I can honestly say that I have never lost a net to a gar. However.....

Cal, you remember that net I rescued from below Keystone dam? I let on the neighbor kids borrow it a few weeks ago. Never saw the net again. He told me about a week ago that he had the rope wrapped around his arm, but didn't have his wrist in the loop. He managed to get "something", big and fishy. It took off, with the net. The kid found the net the next day, downstream of where he lost it in the creek, with a huge hole in the netting.

About the fourth paragraph down under General Regulations the ODWC fishing regulation handbook states "It is UNLAWFUL to sell, barter or trade fish, frogs or turtles, except with a commercial license.

• Commercial if you sell fish for bait caught within Oklahoma waters - then you have to be a licensed bait dealer to be legal - Woodys is licensed

" . . .Also from the way the regs are worded you CANNOT sell shad for bait period "" No person may possess with intent to transport or transport via land-based transportation more than 200 non-game fish, including shad, for personal use as bait. The sale, offer for sale,(implies Oklahoma) OR transport from Oklahoma with intent to sell or offer to sell shad taken from Oklahoma waters is prohibited.

The sellers of "Black Salties" over the internet are actually in violation of most states fish import laws. This is how invasive species are sometimes spread --
Those who would give up constitutional freedoms to elected officials in exchange for a false sense of security, deserve neither freedom or security.